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G. A. JOHNSON.

SELF CENTERING ANTIFRICTION BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29.1919.

1,317,793. I Patented Oct. 7,1919.

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GEORGE A. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, OF

CHAZY, NEW YORK. T

SELF-CENTERING ANTIFRICTION-BEARING.

Application filed. January 29, 1919.

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in self-centering anti-friction bearings.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple, practical and relatively inexpensive roller bearing especially adapted for railwaycar side bearings and wherein is employed a minimum number of parts with an anti friction roller that is selfcentering without the aid of springs or other parts likely to get out of order.

More specifically, the obJect of the invention is to provide an anti-friction roller side bearing for railway cars of a true cylindrical anti-friction roller type possessing all the usual advantages of the true cylindrical roller bearing combined with the self-centering advantages of the usual type of rocker side bearing and without the disadvantages usually accompanying either of said types.

Heretofore it has been customary to employ springs or other means for returning a true anti-friction roller to its central normal position after each actuation of the bearing and, as is well known, these springs constitute the weakest part of the bearing and often render the bearing unsatisfactory in service in addition to the greater initial cost. In the ordinary rocker bearing, a true rolling action or bodily translation ofthe antifriction element is not obtained and the return of the rocker to its central position is not always insured. In the device which I have designed, I obtain the true rolling action of a cylinder and effect the return of the roller to its'central normal position under the influence of gravity withoutthe aid of any. springs or other weak elements and in addition I provide cooperating. means on the antifriction element an'd'lrousing with which it is associated so as to positively maintain proper relation between the anti-friction element and its housing at all times,

the dra ing form ng a part ofth s Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 273,701.

specification. Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of portions of a body and truck bolster of a railway car showing my improvements incorporated in a side bearing interposed between said bolsters. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the side bearing proper. And Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1. i

In said drawing, 10 denotes theunder part of a body bolster of a railway car and 11 the upper part-of an opposed truck b01- ster. In the construction'as shown, the side bearing is secured to the truck bolster, said side bearing comprising, broadly,two elements, a housing or casing A and an antifriction element B. 1

The housing A is of substantially hollow rectangular formation having end walls 1212, side walls 13'13, and corner perforated lugs or flanges 14-44: by which the housing is adapted to be riveted to the bolster. At the bottom the housing may be cut away as indicated at 15-15 to permit all dirt or other foreign matter to be'readily washed out. On its interior, the housing A is provided with two preferably integral, horizontal fiat bearing surfaces 1616 on opposite sides thereof. These portions of the housing A are separated so as to provide a longitudinally extending opening or recess 17 centrally thereof, as

clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

The anti-friction element B, as shown, comprises a true cylindrical section 18 aXiallycored as indicated at 19, and a depend ing preferably integrally formed eccentric weighted section 20. The weighted section 20 is located centrally of the roller with respect to its axis, the weighted section 20'nor- :mally depending into the recess 17 and being of a slightly lesser width than the recess so that said section 20 cooperates with theadjacent parts of the housing A to prevent any twisting of the anti-friction element within the'housing. The ends of the cylindrical section18 of the element B bear on the surfaces 16 as indicated at 21-21,

Patented Oct. '7, 1919;

-section,20 will be elevated but in no event sufliciently to engage the upper body bolster. Upon release of the actuating pressure from the'anti-friction element B, it is evident that'the counterweight or Weighted section will automatically return the anti-friction element to central normal position under the influence of gravity.

I In order to hold the anti-friction element in proper assembled relation with the housing A, the element B is. provided at each end thereof with annular flanges 24 24:

which work Within enlarged recesses 25-25 provided on the interior faces of the side Walls 13 of the housing A. Each of said recesses 25 has an opening 26 at the'top thereof to permit insertion of the corresponding flange-24. Each opening 26 is provided at the sides thereof with bendable lips 2727 which are peened over after the roller is inserted in'the housing so as to restrict the width of the openings 26 v to an amount less than the diameter of the annular flanges 24, In this manner, accidental removal of the anti-friction element B is'positively prevented.

In order to insure maintenance of the proper relation between the anti-friction element B and housing A at all times, that is, prevent accidental displacementof the antlfriction element due to vibration orother cause, I provide the following means. The anti-friction element B on. each sideof the eccentric weighted section 20, is formed with a series of relatively shallow teeth or projections 28. The housing Aalong the inner edgeof each horizontal bearing surface or seat 16 is provided with a corresponding series of recesses 29. With the cooperating sets of teeth 28 and recesses 29, it is evident that the anti-friction element B cannot be shifted by vibration orotherwise, as an entirety, with respectto the housingA unless the element B'is rolled in the proper manner. 7 With this construction, the anti-fric tion elementB will always return to its central normal position after each actuation, thusinsuring that the element B is in condition to perform its function at all times.

The construction herein-shown and described is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, as will be evident since both parts may be readily manufactured in-the form of castings; there are no weak parts to get out of order; and accidental displacement of the anti-friction element is positively prevented at all times.

Although I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that nally extending bearing seats, of an antifriction cylindrical roller having its ends adapted to roll along said seats, an eccentrically disposed weight rigid with respect to and projecting radially beyond the periphery of said roller adapted to automatically .return the latter to normal position after each actuation upon removal of the actuating pressure, and cooperating projections and recesses onsaid member and roller arranged to prevent accidental displacement of the roller With respect to said member.

2. vIn-an anti-friction bearing of the character described, the combination witha hollow retaining member adapted to be secured to abolster of a car and provided with a pair of parallelly arranged, spaced, flat, longitudinally extending bearing seats, of an anti-friction cylindrical roller adapted to have its ends rolled along said seats, said roller having an integrally formed eccentrically disposed weight normally positioned between said seats and adapted to return the roller to normal position after each actuation thereof upon, removal ofthe actuating force, and cooperating projections and re cesses on said member and roller arranged to preventaccidental displacement of the roller with respect to said member;

3. In an anti-friction bearing of the character described, the combination with a hollow retaining member having a pair of spaced, horizontally extending bearing seats on its'interior, and upstanding side walls,

the latter being provided on their inner sides with longitudinally extending recesses, of an anti-friction element adapted for rolling movement along said horizontal bearing seats, said element having an integral, normally depending eccentric weight, said element having also end extensions arranged to move within said recesses,-said extensions of the element being insertible' through vertical openings provided intheside walls of the retaining member and the latter having bendable lips adapted to restrict said vertical openings-after the anti-friction element has been assembled with said member, 7

taining member, of an anti-friction element, said member having a bearing seat horizontal throughout and on which said element bears and is adapted toroll to either side of normal'position, said element having an ecentrically disposed Weighted portion rigid With respect thereto and extending beyond the'periphery thereof and adapted to be elevated when the element is rolled from its normal position in either direction, and cooperating interengaging means on the retaining member and anti-friction element adapted to prevent bodily shifting of the anti-friction element With respect to the re- 1 5 taining member but permitting rolling movement of the element.

5. In an anti-friction bearing of the character described, the combination with a base member having spaced, longitudinally extending bearing seats on its interior, said member having also end Walls extending transversely of said seats and adapted to limit the movement of an anti-friction roller, of an anti-friction roller supported at its ends upon said bearing seats, said roller having an eccentrically and integrally formed section normally depending between said seats, a series of teeth on the roller on each side of said depending section, and co operating series of recesses on the base mem her, the teeth and recesses preventing bodily displacement of the anti-friction roller With respect to the base member.

In .Witness that I claim the foregoing l: have hereunto subscribed my name this th day of Jan, 1919,

GEORGE A. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

